FAQ

We provide advice, counsel, and representation to The New School. The New School is one legal entity which consists of seven divisions and numerous administrative departments. The attorneys in the OGC advise the trustees, officers, faculty, and staff of the university on a variety of legal issues.

Generally, only the senior managers of the university (president, provost, executive vice president, deans, and officers) have the authority to sign documents after they have been carefully reviewed by the OGC. If there is a question about who may sign a particular document, contact your respective dean or vice president or contact OGC.

Faculty and staff who are served with lawsuits against the university, summons, or other legal documents addressed to the university must immediately notify the OGC. This policy does not apply to receipt of legal papers served on individuals named in their individual capacity on personal matters not concerning university business.  The OGC will coordinate the appropriate legal response, including providing documents or responding to lawsuits as necessary. The university's lawyers are the designated authorized agents to accept all legal documents.

No. Only the OGC is authorized to retain outside counsel. If you should feel you need outside counsel representation, please contact us and we will determine if retaining outside counsel is appropriate.

The decision whether to provide legal counsel to a member of the university community rests with the general counsel. Generally, OGC does not provide counsel to individuals to bring action against third parties. And while each decision depends on the particular facts in a given situation, representation of individuals (students, faculty, or staff) depends on whether the individual being sued was conducting themselves in a manner consistent with their assigned duties or at the request of a university officer. 

No. The OGC is counsel to the university. Any advice on non-university matters is beyond the scope of its duties.

A copy of the Conflicts of Interest Policy can be found here.

Yes; please email the office to arrange for a notary to sign your document(s). Please provide governmental identification that contains your photo and signature. A New School ID is not sufficient. By law, a government-issued ID is required.